Total Pageviews

Friday, March 31, 2017

The Season of Lent: "I AM the Resurrection"

"And Jesus Cried With a Loud Voice "Lazarus Come Forth" John:11:43


The ancient Season of Lent, which has come down through the ages and covers several weeks, teaches us powerful lessons. 
The Season of Lent began during the Post Apostolic period of the Early Church. In the early years the Christian Church generally held the Sacrament of Baptism once a year on Easter Sunday. All those who had come to believe in Jesus would be instructed to take a 40 day period of time and consider, through prayer , and the reading of the Scriptures were , how their lives were to changes in light of who Jesus Christ is and all that he had accomplished on their behalf. This 40 day period became what we now call the Season of Lent

Martha and Mary the sisters of the Lazarus had appealed to their friend, teacher and Lord, Jesus to come to their home in the village of Bethany near the holy city of Jerusalem, for their bother, and friend of Jesus had become deathly sick and they feared near death.

For God’s Glory

The two sisters send word to Jesus regarding their brother’s condition asking him to come and help, the sisters knew that Jesus could resolve the situation
St. John in his Gospel records.

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick” Jhn: 11:3.

But upon receiving the message from the two sisters, rather than responding as they had hoped instead Jesus seemingly does nothing and tells his Disciples that his friend Lazarus’ sickness has a divine purpose.

“But when Jesus heard this he said “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of Man maybe glorified” (4) 

Jesus paradoxically stays and ministers where he was for two days longer even knowing that his friend Lazarus was sick. 

So when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus then stayed two more days longer in the place where he was(6)

Jesus then plans out their ministry schedule and travel plans, and surprising his Disciples by telling them that they would go into Judea in spite to the opposition of the religious establishment and the plots which they had against him, yet Jesus is focused on his mission of proclaiming the Word of God to the people of the towns and villages of the area.

Lazarus is Dead

As Jesus and his Disciples preach throughout the region of Judea he makes a cryptic announcement to his Disciples meaning of which is not at first clear to them.

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I must go and awaken him out of sleep(11)

The Disciples misunderstanding Jesus' reply.

 “Lord if he has fallen asleep, he will recover(12)

But Jesus seeing their misunderstanding his statement regarding Lazarus gently but plainly explains his meaning. 

 “Lazarus is dead(14b)

Lazarus has already been entombed four days when Jesus arrives in the area of Bethany. Many friends had come and were trying to comfort the sisters, Martha and Mary, during their grief and mourning over the loss of their brother.

It is then, that word reaches the sisters that Jesus has come but has stopped just outside of Bethany, prompting Martha to go to their friend and teacher Jesus and speaks to him about her grief produced by the disappointment with him and that Jesus did come to their assistance when he was first called to do so, yet even then, Martha affirms her faith that even now, seemingly when it is too late that Jesus has the power to act on her and her brother’s behalf.

Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died (21)

At first, there appears to be a hint of anger springing from Martha’s profound grief at her loss. Even in the midst of her loss, Martha expresses the assertion which speaks of her strained faith in her Lord’s ability to, even now, enter the situation and aid her and her sister Mary, even though from all human vantage points it appears to be too late and beyond hope.  

Even Now

Even now, I know that whatsoever you ask God, God will give it” (22)

Martha may not grasp the full understanding of who Jesus is, but she seems to understand that Jesus can act and bring to bear God’s divine assistance, even when all hope seems lost and there appears to be no answer, her brother is dead, but Jesus is there.

Even as it looks as if all hope is lost, Jesus is there, even though he has tarried outside Bethany. Jesus understand the depth of his friend’s grief and sorrow and perceives the anguish in her soul and speaks words of assurance to her.

“Your brother will rise again” (23)

Martha responds, but for the moment, does not realizing the full meaning of his words. It is also evident that Martha does not see that Jesus’ answer can be in her present, she sees his aid only coming beyond this current life, and that some things cannot be answered in the present, she sees the problem as unanswerable.

I know that he will arise in the resurrection on the last day(24)

I Am the Resurrection

Jesus then gives Martha, and all of us the assurances of his ability to bring to bear God’s divine assistances regardless of how hopeless the situation seems from our human vantage point.

“I am the resurrection and the life” (25a)

Jesus makes this divine assertion to Marsha and to we all, that he is   the “the Resurrection” even before his own glorious resurrection from the dead. This tells us, that “the resurrection” is not an event, but rather is the person of Jesus Christ himself.

What Jesus is telling Martha, and again, we all, is that he is the answer to any and all our lives hardship and difficulties, even if things seems to beyond hope, that is dead and entomb behind a great stone.

Martha, in spite Jesus’ delayed response to their call for help, and as he proceeds into Judea with a ministry schedule, and when his friend Lazarus has died,  then and only then  only arrives when it appears that all hope is lost, and then, when Jesus does arrive, he stops again , and is outside of Bethany. Yet, regardless of Jesus’ apparent delay, Martha still affirms that she knows that Jesus is one sent by Almighty God.

you are the Christ(27a)

Martha is saying more than she might understand. Whether she understand it or not what Martha is saying is “you are the answer to any and all problems which I face, even when the situation seems to beyond hope.

Calling for Mary

Martha then departs and returns to her home and tells her sister Mary that Jesus is calling for her. Mary goes to meet Jesus who is still just outside of Bethany and there she finds him awaiting for her.

she got up quickly(31c)

Mary finds Jesus waiting for her in the same location as did her sister Martha. Mary Jesus falls at his feet and expresses her loss and disappointment with Jesus that he, rather answering their cry for help, he went and ministered to others and delayed coming until after it was too late, after Lazarus had died and was now entomb, and when Jesus finally arrived in the area he did not even come to the tomb of her brother but stopped just outside of the village of Bethany.

When Mary cane to where Jesus was, she saw him and fell at his feet, saying to him “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. (32)

Jesus is Deeply Moved

Jesus is deeply moved to tears by Mary and those who mourned with her, he truly feels their individual and collective loss, asked Mary to show him the resting place of his friend.

Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled and askedWhere have you laid him?” Jesus wept” (33b-35)

Mary and the other mourners see that even Jesus is moved by the loss of her brother she takes Jesus to the tomb. Some who were present with Mary wondered out loud, if Jesus who had displayed such power could not have done something and prevented Lazarus’ death? They believe that it is too late, there is nothing that can be done that Lazarus is dead.

Lazarus Come Forth

When Jesus, Mary and the mourners, arrive at the tomb of Lazarus and sees that a stone was placed over the entrance. At Jesus’ command the stone is removed, which causes Martha to momentarily to protest that her bother has now been dead four days and the stench will be considerable.

Jesus assures them that they, this day would witness the “glory of God”.  Jesus than offers a prayer to his Heavenly Father expressing his perfect faith that God would hear and answer, so that all gathered around would come to believe that Jesus was sent by God.

Jesus then demonstrates that it is never too late for him to enter into this, or any situation, and bring an answer which will cause his Heavenly Father to be glorified, as he calls out to his dead friend to come forth out of the grip of death and grave and hopelessness.

Lazarus come forth(41c)

 To the astonishment of all who were gathered to mourn Lazarus emerges from the tomb alive and whole still was dressed in grave clothes.

Then Lazarus came forth, still bound up in his grave clothes, and Jesus said to them, “unbind him and let him go”. And many of the Jews who had come with Mary saw what Jesus had had done and believed in him” (44-45)

The Lesson for Us

What is the lesson for us Christians?  

Just as the two sisters sent word to Jesus calling upon him to come and bring to bear the power of God and aid them in their time of need and crisis. Jesus, rather than coming to help them seems not to respond , but instead went and ministered to others, and it is only after their brother Lazarus had died and the situation passed into hopelessness that Jesus came, and then he does not enter Bethany, but lingers on the outside of the village , and only after the grieving sisters each have a grief and disappointment filled  conversation with him that does Jesus come to the tomb itself , when it seems there is nothing that even Jesus can do and all is lost. It is then amidst their profound loss that Jesus calls his dead friend forth out of death giving Lazarus life and restores him to the sisters.

There are times in our lives when we all, like Mary and Martha, face challenges and situations which are very difficult and grievous,  which seem beyond hope, which have reached the point of being dead, and like Lazarus now stink .  In these times we call out to our Lord Jesus for his divine assistance, but from our earthy vantage point Jesus seems not to respond to our cry for help, but rather, he and ministers to others, and when he does draw near he stops just outside the Bethany of our lives and lingers for a time.  

In Jesus’ apparent nonresponse to our cry for help, the situation passes into death, that is, to the point where nothing seems to be able to be done, to give life to the situation, no matter what it maybe. All seems lost. It stinks and is bound in grave clothes and we find ourselves disappointed with Jesus not answering our cries for help.

When we face such moments in our lives we need to recall the words of Jesus as he tarried just outside of Bethany.

I Am the Resurrection”, Jesus is telling us all that he is the answer to any and all of problems. Even when he apparently delays in responding to us  and allows our situation to pass into death and beyond hope and is now dead and in the tomb, even while he ministers to others, Jesus can when it is seems too late , come and bring life to any dead situation.

That there is nothing to which Jesus cannot enter into and call to life, that is, he can resurrect any situation regardless of how dead it might be. Jesus can call it forth out of death removing the grave clothes in which it has been wrapped and giving life to it.
Jesus is “the Resurrection”, that is, he is the answer to any and all of our lives challenges, even when they pass into to death and seems hopeless to us.

Jesus speaks to all of us telling us that he "the Resurrection".

 Jesus can call forth to life any situation which has been placed in the tomb of death and bring life ones again, Jesus is “the Resurrection”, this is a lesson of the Season of Lent.

Benediction: May we each and all trust in Jesus that he will restore life to all of our dead situations, all for his glory, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.


 Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor   
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 2101 Old National Pike.  Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301   
The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/

No comments:

Post a Comment